Monday, September 17, 2012

New era

"Quarterback Shane McGregor #2 of the Penn State Nittany Lions prays after losing to the Ohio University Bobcats at Beaver Stadium on September 1, 2012 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Ohio University Bobcats won, 24-14. After the teams first loss under the debut of head coach Bill O'Brien, McGregor tweeted, "Keep. The. Faith.""

Following my stint in Penn State covering the vibe of back to school in State College, Pa., I returned to Happy Valley later the same week for the first football game of the year.

Leading the Nittany Lions into their 2012 campaign, and coaching for the team for the first time since the Joe Paterno era in 1966, was Bill O'Brien.

The night before I shot a prayer vigil for victims of child abuse as well as a pep rally for the team. It was obvious that despite the campus being silent earlier in the week, the community's psyche was again being consumed by the news surrounding the child abuse scandal that has brought national media attention to former football coaches and men in power at Penn State.

The atmosphere surrounding the first game was anything but normal. The former spot of the Paterno statue was now nothing but a grassy hill and some trees, but that didn't stop fans from leaving things behind. Others joined hands nearby, and those in the parking lots adorned t-shirts boasting their feelings for the new era in Penn State football - positively and negativity.

My roll was to capture everything minus the action for Getty Images at the first game of the season. From afar and close, I trekked everywhere from the furthest parking lot, to in the stands with fans, right down to the end zone where I turned around to get one frame of action haphazardly as I walked by.

Hopefully these images gave the readers a glimpse inside the new era in Penn State football.